University of Central Oklahoma graduate, Chris Scully worked more than a decade out of Oklahoma before Dell drew him home.

When Ponca City native Chris Scully completed his graduate degree here in the mid-1990s, he found most of his job prospects were out of state.

Scully spent 11 years with Intel, in Oregon and Arizona, before Oklahoma — thanks to Dell — offered a competitive technology job to beckon him back in August 2006.

“I never was the guy who wanted to leave, but all the tech jobs were on the east and west coasts,” Scully, 42, said. “I'm so glad Dell picked Oklahoma City for a business center. It's what brought us home.”

In the seven years since his return, Scully's job has expanded from regional manager of environmental health and safety to facilities manager and, as of 18 months ago, one of two general managers — or site directors — for Dell's 175,000-square-foot business center at 3501 SW 15. There, some 2,000 employees work around the clock selling or supporting computers, and providing outsourced IT services to companies nationwide.